Edge Computing – Concepts and

Applications
PSD 1 report submitted in partial fulfillment of the

Requirements for the degree of

Master of Engineering
ME (Cloud Computing)

By
STUDENT NAME
(ROLL NUMBER)

Manipal School of Information Sciences

(A Constituent unit of MAHE, Manipal)

Acknowledgement
It gives me immense pleasure to express my gratitude to all those who supported me in
completing this PSD 1 technical seminar on Edge Computing. I extend my sincere thanks to
my panel members and faculty members at Manipal School of Information Sciences for their
continuous encouragement and guidance throughout this work. I also remain grateful to my
institution for providing the resources that enabled me to explore this topic successfully.
Lastly, I thank all the authors and researchers whose works are cited in this report.

Abstract
Edge Computing is an emerging paradigm that shifts computation and storage closer to the
data source rather than relying entirely on centralized cloud servers. By processing data at
the network edge, it reduces latency, conserves bandwidth, and enables real-time decision-
making. This seminar report explores the fundamentals of Edge Computing, recent research
contributions, methodologies for deployment, advantages, limitations, and experimental
outcomes reported in literature. Applications in IoT, healthcare, smart cities, and
autonomous systems demonstrate the transformative potential of Edge Computing. While it
provides high responsiveness and better privacy, challenges remain in scalability, security,
and standardization. The study concludes that Edge Computing is an essential component of
next-generation digital ecosystems, complementing and extending cloud infrastructures.
Chapter 1: Introduction
The explosive growth of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and data-intensive applications
has made traditional cloud-centric architectures insufficient for real-time processing.
Centralized cloud computing often suffers from high latency, excessive bandwidth
consumption, and privacy concerns. Edge Computing addresses these limitations by
bringing computation, analytics, and storage closer to the data source, enabling faster and
more reliable responses.

In Edge Computing, devices such as routers, gateways, and base stations act as edge nodes
that preprocess and analyze data locally before sending only relevant information to the
cloud. This architecture supports mission-critical services such as autonomous driving,
augmented reality, and industrial automation. As digital ecosystems become increasingly
reliant on low-latency processing, Edge Computing is recognized as a vital enabler of the
next generation of smart systems.

Chapter 2: Literature Survey

1. Shi et al. (2016) introduced the concept of Edge Computing as a natural extension of
cloud computing, aimed at supporting IoT applications with real-time processing needs.
They emphasized the role of edge nodes in reducing latency and improving service quality.

2. Satyanarayanan (2017) highlighted the use of Edge Computing for mobile devices,
stressing its ability to support augmented reality and other latency-sensitive applications.
He demonstrated how computation offloading to the edge can transform user experiences.

3. Mach and Becvar (2017) surveyed mobile edge computing architectures and offloading
strategies, analyzing how computation at the edge optimizes bandwidth and reduces energy
consumption.

4. Roman et al. (2018) discussed the security and privacy implications of deploying
computation at the network edge. They identified key vulnerabilities in edge nodes while
also presenting strategies to strengthen trust.

5. Abbas et al. (2018) provided a comprehensive review of mobile edge computing

applications, highlighting the role of orchestration tools and resource management
frameworks for scalable edge deployments.

Chapter 3: Methodology
The methodology of Edge Computing implementation involves several structured steps to
ensure efficient data processing at the edge:

Step 1: Identification of Edge Nodes – Recognizing routers, gateways, IoT hubs, or local
servers to be configured as computation nodes.

Step 2: Workload Allocation – Distributing tasks between cloud servers and edge devices
based on latency requirements and computational capacity.

Step 3: Edge-Oriented Architecture – Designing a layered architecture where edge nodes

filter, preprocess, and analyze raw data.

Step 4: Data Flow Optimization – Reducing redundant communication with cloud servers by
sending only summarized or critical insights.

Step 5: Security Integration – Incorporating encryption, authentication, and lightweight

security mechanisms tailored for edge devices.

Step 6: Testing and Evaluation – Simulating performance using tools like EdgeCloudSim and
deploying prototypes with IoT devices to evaluate latency, energy, and throughput.

Step 7: Feedback and Iteration – Continuously refining placement policies and workload
balancing to improve system efficiency.

Figure 1: Edge Computing Architecture

Figure 2: Comparison of Cloud vs Edge Data Processing

Figure 3: Example of Edge Deployment in IoT Ecosystems

Chapter 4: Advantages and Limitations

Advantages
- **Reduced Latency**: Local processing ensures near real-time responses.
- **Optimized Bandwidth**: Only relevant data is transmitted to the cloud.
- **Enhanced Privacy**: Sensitive data can be processed locally, reducing risks of breaches.
- **Support for Mobility**: Edge Computing enables services for mobile and vehicular
networks.
- **Reliability**: Edge nodes provide localized backup and continuity in case of connectivity
failures.
- **Scalability**: Distributed edge nodes can handle massive IoT ecosystems efficiently.

Limitations
- **Security Vulnerabilities**: Edge devices are often more exposed to physical and cyber
threats.
- **Resource Constraints**: Limited computational and energy capacity compared to
centralized clouds.
- **Management Complexity**: Coordinating a large number of distributed nodes is
challenging.
- **Standardization Issues**: Lack of global standards for interoperability across edge
platforms.
- **Deployment Costs**: Large-scale edge deployment requires significant investment in
infrastructure.

Chapter 5: Results
Experimental studies and simulations have demonstrated the following outcomes of Edge
Computing adoption:

- Latency reduction of up to 70% in time-critical applications compared to cloud-only

systems.
- Bandwidth savings of nearly 50% by preprocessing data at the edge.
- Improved service reliability in mobile networks by maintaining local decision-making.
- Fault-tolerant architectures enabled through localized edge clusters.

Figures from simulated IoT and 5G networks confirm that Edge Computing significantly
enhances performance, making it a preferred paradigm for smart city, healthcare, and
industrial use cases.

Chapter 6: Conclusion
Edge Computing has emerged as a revolutionary paradigm, complementing cloud
computing by enabling faster, localized, and more secure data processing. Literature studies
and methodologies confirm that edge architectures reduce latency, optimize bandwidth,
and support real-time analytics in IoT-driven ecosystems. While challenges such as security
risks, standardization gaps, and management overhead persist, ongoing advancements in
orchestration, AI/ML at the edge, and hybrid edge-cloud models are paving the way for
widespread adoption. The seminar underscores that Edge Computing will be a cornerstone
technology in next-generation digital infrastructures, empowering applications from
autonomous vehicles to smart healthcare.

References
[1] Shi, W., Cao, J., Zhang, Q., Li, Y., & Xu, L. (2016). Edge Computing: Vision and Challenges.
IEEE Internet of Things Journal.
[2] Satyanarayanan, M. (2017). The Emergence of Edge Computing. Computer, IEEE.
[3] Mach, P., & Becvar, Z. (2017). Mobile Edge Computing: A Survey on Architecture and
Computation Offloading. IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials.
[4] Roman, R., Lopez, J., & Mambo, M. (2018). Mobile Edge Computing, Fog et al.: A Security
and Privacy Perspective. Future Generation Computer Systems.
[5] Abbas, N., Zhang, Y., Taherkordi, A., & Skeie, T. (2018). Mobile Edge Computing: A
Survey. IEEE Internet of Things Journal.